Welcome to the end of the week and another edition of Happy Hour! Just sit back, relax, and enjoy your end of the week roundup of all things interesting in the land of money.
Hyperloop
Elon Musk is quickly becoming a tech industrialist. The Paypal cofounder along with SpaceX, Tesla, and SolarCity could add public transportation to his stable of companies. It’s certainly not something you’d expect in the internet age. Where putting something online has been the fastest way to billions for close to a decade. And he’s not following the typical tech trends of maintaining ownership control either.
When was the last time the biggest news out of tech came from a car company and an energy installation company. Now it’s a re-imagination of public transportation with the Hyperloop. It’s a cool name for something that basically looks like a train inside a wind tunnel. In a country where high-speed rail has been argument and afterthought for decades, it’s a welcome sight. Hopefully, it’s caused enough thought to second guess future public transportation projects.
Chicago
I ran across a great Freakanomics podcast about Chicago. It discusses the importance Chicago has played on the development of the country and world. From architecture, music, food, economics, and more, the city has given a lot to the U.S.
Yet it’s often overlooked for New York and L.A. As a lifelong area resident, I can happily say we like it that it way. Chicago is hardly New York and isn’t even close to comparable. Nor is it similar to L.A. Big cities have a character all their own. The City of Big Shoulders, the Windy City, has certainly made a name for itself.
Last Call
- Ben Bernanke: Buy One Suit, Get Three Free – short-term thinking can quickly destroy long-term success.
- When Shareholder Activism Goes Too Far – and another reason not to follow fund managers into controversial investments.
- 5 Essential Financial Planning Steps for Your 30s and 40s – great guide on building a plan early on.
- The Error-Proof Portfolio: Why You Need an Investment Philosophy – and stick to it.
- The Question Investors Must Ask Before Selling – a great question!